The Alexandra, Birmingham – until Sat 21 May 2022
Reviewed by Amarjeet Singh
5*****
The fictional Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society with its illustrious president, Chris Bean, brings us an immersive and interactive night of thrills and mayhem in The Play That Goes Wrong. There has been a Murder at Haversham Manor’ and we are invited to watch the mystery, and its players, unravel until the dastardly murderer is revealed.
The Play That Goes Wrong is a theatrical masterpiece. It’s a rip roaring, farcical, far-fetched, comedy of errors, which leaves you breathless from constantly laughing. There is so much care and thought put into the humour, the setup, delivery and the punch line of jokes. The performance is peppered with both physical and verbal comedy, with meticulous attention to detail being paid to the narrative to ensure its not a messy jumble.
I could go into more detail about what happens in the play, but part of the joy is the unexpected occurrences. You don’t quite know what’s going to happen next and you are consistently caught off guard by relentless fun. You really have to experience it to get the full effect.
The premise of The Play That Goes Wrong is simple: Take all the usual theatrical mishaps to the extreme. I was astounded by the boundless energy of the cast and outlandish caricatured yet minutely detailed comedy performances they deliver. A genius script, superb timing from a stellar cast and a stunning set combine to make this the best theatrical comedy show I have ever seen.
It takes a lot to make something go wrong so effortlessly whilst also being hilariously funny too. The Play That Goes Wrong is every kind of right, a must see by all.